Bed sheet

A blue bed sheet

A bed sheet is a rectangular piece of cloth used either singly or in a pair as bedding, being placed immediately below or above bed occupants. A top sheet, in the many countries where they are used, is a flat sheet, immediately under which bed occupants lie. A bottom sheet is laid above the mattress and bed occupants lie on it. A bottom sheet may be either a flat sheet, or a fitted sheet, which has been sewn to form a large pocket around the top, sides and bottom edge of a mattress, with elastic or a drawstring in the hem to stop it slipping off the bottom of the mattress. Blankets, quilts, duvets, comforters and other bed covers are laid over the top sheet.

History[]

The term bed sheet was first used in the 15th century.^[1] Bed sheets were traditionally white and made of cotton, linen or silk, but now various colors and patterns are used.

Styles[]

Assortment of different colored bed sheets

Bed sheets come in two main varieties: flat and fitted. A flat sheet is simply a rectangular sheet of cloth, while a fitted sheet has its four corners, and sometimes two or four sides, fitted with elastic, to be used only as a bottom sheet. The fitted sheet may also be secured using a drawstring instead of elastic. The purpose of a fitted bottom sheet is to keep it from slipping off the mattress while the bed is in use. A particular way of folding and tucking while making the bed, known as "hospital corners," is sometimes used when the bottom sheet is flat rather than fitted.

Usually a flat bed sheet is overlocked around the edges to form four seams. One of the seams is wider than the other three and helps with orienting the sheet correctly on the mattress. The wider seam goes at the head end of the mattress. Sometimes the sides do not have seams, but are finished with the selvedge only. When placing a flat sheet on a bed, the manufacturer has designed the printed side to be softer, and thus it should be placed on the bed printed side "down". When folding back the covers, this also allows the printed side to show, for aesthetic purposes. When one makes a bed, the patterned or monogrammed side of the top sheet is placed facing down and then the top edge is folded towards the foot of the bed, exposing the design.

In the US and Canada, sheets are often sold in a four-piece set consisting of a fitted sheet, a flat sheet and two pillowcases. In China, a four-piece set consists of a duvet cover, two pillowcases and either a fitted or flat sheet. Fitted Sheets are gaining popularity due to ease of use. Use of good quality elastic make fitted sheets durable.

Materials[]

Weavers work on a hospital bed sheet on a traditional manual loom in Faisalabad, Pakistan, in 2010

Cotton and cotton blends dominate the market. The most common blend being cotton and polyester. Cotton provides absorbency and a soft hand, while polyester adds durability and wrinkle resistance.^[2] Other common fibers used in the manufacturing of bed sheets include linen, silk, Modal and bamboo rayon, lyocell, and polypropylene. Polypropylene (olefin) is a hypoallergenic spun-bound material produced at a low cost and typically used in emergency shelters or hospitals as disposable sheeting.

Construction[]

The quality of bed sheets is often conveyed by the thread count—the number of threads per square inch of material. In general, the higher the thread count, the softer the sheet, but the weave and type of thread may affect the "hand" of the material so that a sheet with a lower thread count may actually be softer than one with a higher count. Yarn quality also plays a part in the look and feel of sheets, as finer yarns tend to create a finer sheet fabric. The ply also plays a role in how heavy the sheet feels. Ply represents how many fibers are twisted together as the sheet is being created. A 2 ply 300 thread count sheet will feel heavier than a single ply 600 thread count sheet.

The most common constructions are muslin, percale, sateen, flannel, and knitted jersey.^[3] In a plain weave the warp and weft cross each other one at a time, and sateen, has multiple threads (usually three or four) over, and one under.^[4]

References[]

^ "Bed sheet". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2012-05-26.
^ Elsasser, Virginia Hencken (2004). Know Your Home Furnishings. New York, NY: Fairchild Publications. ISBN 1563672421. OCLC 53051985.
^ Willbanks, Amy (2014). Textiles for Residential and Commercial Interiors. ISBN 9781609019372. OCLC 953427784.
^ Boykin, George, "The Difference Between Percale & Sateen", eHow

[1] "Bed sheet". Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2012-05-26.

[2] Elsasser, Virginia Hencken (2004). Know Your Home Furnishings. New York, NY: Fairchild Publications. ISBN 1563672421. OCLC 53051985.

[3] Willbanks, Amy (2014). Textiles for Residential and Commercial Interiors. ISBN 9781609019372. OCLC 953427784.

[4] Boykin, George, "The Difference Between Percale & Sateen", eHow

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

show v t Bedding
Adult beds (Bed sizes)	Banig Box-bed Bunk bed Cage bed Camp bed Canopy bed Daybed Four-poster bed Futon Hammock Hospital bed Kang bed-stove Lit a la turque Loft bed Charpai Murphy bed Petate Platform bed Polish bed Sleigh bed Sofa bed Trundle bed
Infant beds	Bassinet Cradle (bed) Infant bed Toddler bed
Bed components	Bed frame Bed sheet Bed skirt Cot side Footboard Headboard
Mattresses	Air mattress Featherbed Mattress pad Mattress protector Memory foam Orthopedic mattress Waterbed
Bed bases	Box-spring Bunkie board
Blankets	Afghan Comforter Duvet Duvet cover Electric blanket Hudson's Bay point blanket Patchwork quilt Photo blanket Quilt Razai Security blanket Silk comforter Sleeping bag Sleeved blanket
Pillows	Acupressure pillow Bamboo wife Bolster Contour leg pillow Cushion Dakimakura Eye pillow Orthopedic pillow Sex pillow Speaker pillow Throw pillow
Related items	Bed warmer Couch Nightstand Blanket fort
Category Commons

show Authority control
General	Integrated Authority File (Germany)
National libraries	France (data) United States